1. Use special bedding covers and launder sheets and blankets weekly in 130°F water to kill dust mites. Washer water not hot enough? Try tumbling items first in a hot dryer for 30 to 60 minutes (longer for thick comforters), then washing on hot.

Attention, Pet Owners

5. The Dyson DC28 Animal vacuum ($600) sounds like it's designed for you, but while it did fine on our embedded-dirt, bare-floor, and filtration tests, it needed nearly six times as many passes to clear up pet hair as other models. Quicker picks: the Miele S7 Bolero ($899, mieleusa.com) and Eureka Boss Smart-Vac Pet Lover ($160, eureka.com) uprights. Check out our HEPA vacuum cleaner reviews for the full report.